Page:Merry tales of the wise men of Gotham (4).pdf/5

 ſhe muſt certainly have loſt it, on account of her huſ- band's want of wit.

T A L E VI.

A Certain ſmith of Gotham had a large waſp's neſt in the ſtraw at the end of his forge; and there coming one of his neighbours to have his horſe ſhod, and the waſps being exceeding buſy, the man was ſtung by one of them. The man being grievouſly affronted, ſaid, Are you worthy to keep a forge or not, to have men ſung with theſe waſps ? O! neighbour, ſaid the ſmith, be 'content, and I ſhall put them from their neſt preſently. Immediately he took a coulter, and heated it red hot, and thruſt it into the ſtraw at the end of his forge, and ſet it on fire, and burnt it up. Then ſaid the ſmith, I told thee I'd fire them out of their neſts.

T A B L E VII.

ON Good Friday the men of Gotham, conſulted together what to do with their white herrings, ſprats, and ſalt fiſh, and agreed, that all ſuch fish ſhould be caſt into the pond or pool, in the midſt of the town, that the number of them might increaſe againſt the next year. Therefore every one, that had any fil left, did caſt them immediately into the pond. Then ſaid one, I have gotten left ſo many red herr- ings. Well ſaid another, and I have left ſo many whitings. Another immediately cried out, I have as yet gotten ſo many ſprats left. And, ſaid the laſt, I have gotten ſo many ſalt fiſhes, let them go toge- ther in the great pond without any diſtinction, and we may be ſure to fare like lords the next year. At the beginning of the next Lent they immediately went about drawing the pond, imagining they ſhould have the fiſh ; but were much ſurprized to find nothing